You are here

Stone Mirrors: The Sculpture and Silence of Edmonia Lewis (Hardcover)

Stone Mirrors: The Sculpture and Silence of Edmonia Lewis By Jeannine Atkins Cover Image
$19.79
Not currently available - email or call for details

Description


From critically acclaimed author Jeannine Atkins comes a “memorable, poetic tale” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about a half–Native American, half–African American sculptor working in the years following the Civil War.

A sculptor of historical figures starts with givens but creates her own vision. Edmonia Lewis was just such a sculptor, but she never spoke or wrote much about her past, and the stories that have come down through time are often vague or contradictory. Some facts are known: Edmonia was the daughter of an Ojibwe woman and an African Haitian man. She had the rare opportunity to study art at Oberlin, one of the first schools to admit women and people of color, but lost her place after being accused of poisoning and theft, despite being acquitted of both. She moved to Boston and eventually Italy, where she became a successful sculptor.

But the historical record is very thin. The open questions about Edmonia’s life seem ideally suited to verse, a form that is compatible with mysteries. Inspired by both the facts and the gaps in history, author Jeannine Atkins imagines her way into a vision of what might have been.

About the Author


Jeannine Atkins is the author of several books for young readers about courageous women, including Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed ScienceGrasping Mysteries: Girls Who Loved MathStone Mirrors: The Sculpture and Silence of Edmonia Lewis, and Borrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C.J. Walker, Marie Curie, and Their Daughters. Jeannine teaches writing for children and young adults at Simmons University. She lives in western Massachusetts. Visit her at JeannineAtkins.com.

Praise For…


* “From sparse historical records, Atkins creates a memorable, poetic tale that offers a fictional account of what life may have been like for Edmonia. . . . A fascinating, tantalizing glimpse.”
— Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* “So much mystery surrounds the life of once-celebrated Ojibwe and African Haitian sculptor Edmonia Lewis, it’s a wonder novelist Atkins managed to piece together a cohesive narrative, much less such a splendid one. . . . How this brave, driven young woman overcame prejudice and trauma to pursue her artistic calling to the highest level . . . is a story that warrants such artful retelling.”
— Booklist, starred review

“A good purchase for [those] looking for more diverse materials, especially those featuring women artists and people of color.”
— School Library Journal

“Written with sensitivity and grace, this compelling title of injustice and vindication will leave readers pondering the complicated relationship between pain and art.”
— BCCB

"This is an excellent choice for collections seeking diversity in their biographies, especially those with intent on the curation of women in history and black American artists."
— School Library Connection
Product Details
ISBN: 9781481459051
ISBN-10: 1481459058
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: January 10th, 2017
Pages: 176
Language: English

Terms and Conditions

© 2009-2015 Words, LLC | 179 Maplewood Avenue | Maplewood NJ 07040 | 973-763-9500 | info@wordsbookstore.com